Dawning Love
by Missus Carlikins
Summary: It was something that was there from the beginning. It was something that everyone saw but them. It was a slow realization that they couldn't live happily without the other in their life. It was love. [NaLu; Canon AU]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** So I'm sort of on a FT high right now (that's morphing into an OP high) and I'm starting about a billion GaLe fics but I really just wanted to write a NaLu.

In my mind Natsu and Lucy love each other... It's more than just love for a nakama, it's just neither of them realize it. Natsu because I don't think he really knows much about the romantic kind of love, and Lucy because she's perceptive to others *cough* Levy's crush on Gajeel *cough cough* but not herself.

This is just sort of setting the stage to the fic which takes place sometime after the recent chapters. I'm calling it a canon AU because I have no idea what will happen in canon and this is set around the most recent chapters, except the dragons were defeated or something because I don't want to deal with the pain and suffering that will follow with that attack. At least not for this fic... maybe a different one.

* * *

Mirajane had always been observant, and due to her job at Fairy Tail she'd managed to see many things. Things like the small smile that sometimes crossed Gray's face when Juvia was talking to him, or the way her brother treated Evergreen, not like a man but like a _woman_. She saw the way Gajeel watched Levy from across the bar, and the gifts Happy would bring to Carla. Seven years ago she'd seen Bisca and Alzack blush when their hands accidentally brushed, and now she saw those very hands clasped together as they watched Asuka ride around on Lily's shoulders.

She loved watching all these little moments because she knew one day they would develop into something more, like Bisca and Alzack's had.

But there was one couple that had really piqued Mira's interest and she wasn't sure why. Maybe because their feelings for each other were so deep it went beyond just a crush, beyond even _love_, and yet neither of them were even aware of said feelings.

She'd known from the first day though, when Natsu had appeared back at the guild roaring in anger as everyone focused on him and the brawl that quickly followed, but Mira had seen the blonde standing just inside the door and she'd known.

From the beginning Mira had watched them from her spot at the bar.

She'd watched how Natsu always seemed focused on Lucy. True he was his usual self, fighting with anyone dumb enough to agree, and when he wasn't fighting he was running around the guild doing this or that. But no matter where he was in the guild he always took a moment to glance at Lucy and make sure she was where he'd left her. Sometimes he'd sit next to her and try to join in on her conversations, or he'd ask her about what she was reading, although he always got bored and left fairly quickly.

She'd watched as Natsu worried over Lucy's injuries. Natsu had always cared for his friends and he never liked it when they were hurt, but with Lucy it was different. With the others he'd compare scars and find out who had it worse, but never with Lucy. With Lucy he'd focus on anything but her wounds, and when he looked at the bandages wrapped around her injury, guilt would flash across his face. Natsu was a protector, he made it his job to make sure everyone else was safe, but he seemed to take it to a personal level with Lucy.

Then there was Lucy.

When she'd first appeared she'd been a bit unsure and Mira knew the celestial spirit mage hadn't quite felt like she'd belonged. Mira had paired her up with Natsu on the rescue mission because she knew Natsu would take care of her, knew that Natsu would show her what a mage of Fairy Tail was and that she _did _belong.

Mira had watched as the admiration Lucy felt for Natsu morph into something more, although from what she'd seen Lucy had no idea about her current feelings. Lucy still acted annoyed over the dragon slayer's antics, she still complained about everything he did, but there was always a smile on her face and a softness in her eyes. And when she whined about being single her eyes would drift to where he was and she'd sigh almost wistfully.

Because of her job as barmaid Mira had seen a lot of things, but she'd never seen anything quite like Natsu and Lucy before.

* * *

So yeah. Short prologue. I was gonna wait until I had the first chapter written to post this, but I'm having difficulties with it and this has been sitting in my doc manager forever. Who knows maybe getting people to read it will _inspire_ me or something...


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **I'm sorry it's short and nothing actually happens. I got this much written and I couldn't figure out how to write more, and it's been a month since I posted the first chapter so I figure I should add a second. Hopefully the following chapters will be longer and more eventful... no promises though.

This is a slow build fic, meaning that there's going to be a lot of pointless stuff before the NaLu actually happens... sorry.

* * *

With a sigh Lucy plopped onto one of the stools, dropping her head to the bar with a thud. She knew Mirajane was there, could _feel_ the other mage's presence, but she didn't look up.

"Bad day?" Mira inquired.

"_Long_ day," Lucy muttered against the wood. She wanted nothing more than to go back to her apartment and sleep for the next two years.

"I thought it was supposed to be a simple job."

"Oh it was." Lucy lifted her head just enough to glare in the direction of Natsu who was attempting to challenge Gajeel to a fight, completely ignoring his broken wrist and the poor sky dragon slayer trying to heal him. "But then Natsu had to destroy three buildings while pursuing the robbers."

"At least it was only three," Mira said, smiling sympathetically.

"He also threw the prized statue of the town's founder at the robbers, which ended up rolling down a cliff taking Natsu with it and Natsu ended up taking _me_ with him." That was how Natsu ended up with the broken wrist, luckily enough for Lucy she'd landed on top of of the dragon slayer and only got a few scrapes and bruises, but her body still _hurt_.

"Well... he is Natsu," Mira said, setting a glass down in front of Lucy. Lucy snorted and threw the drink back. The alcohol burned on the way down, but it managed to loosen most of her tight muscles.

"Yeah. He is," she agreed with a scowl in his direction. Wendy had given up trying to heal him, which seemed to be fine with Natsu because he was using his cast as a weapon, swinging it at Gajeel's head.

Mira smiled fondly at the sight and Lucy sighed as she pushed herself to her feet.

"Well, I just came to check in," she said, stretching her arms above her head and groaning at the crack she heard. "I need a bath and about three days of sleep." She picked up her bag and headed towards the doors, raising her hand in a wave. "I'll see you."

"Be safe," Mira called after her.

Lucy ignored the greetings from her guildemates as she staggered to the street. She felt like a zombie, barely finding the strength to lift her feet. It had been a while since she'd last felt this tired, but she supposed she should consider herself lucky. Natsu _had_ protected her as they fell and if it weren't for him she'd probably be in the hospital right now.

She sighed and pushed open the door the her apartment, dropping her bag to the floor and kicking off her shoes. Her clothes were caked in dirt and there was a tear in the shirt, baring her midriff. She pulled it off and tossed it to the side. _Another shirt ruined_.

She stepped out of her shorts as she headed for the bathroom, leaving them in the middle of the floor. She'd clean up later, after she washed the day away and tended to her wounds. Once the bath began to fill with steaming water she peeled off her bra and slid out of her panties, taking a moment to look in the mirror.

A bruise was already forming on her side, right under an angry red scratch. Her arms and legs were also covered in scratches and whenever she moved her shoulder she winced. She had a feeling that joint would be sore for weeks to come.

She lowered herself into the steaming bathwater the minute it was ready. The water stung her cuts, but after a few moments the stinging faded into numbness and she sank below the surface. The steaming water relaxed her muscles, easing the tension from her body and making her melt against the tub. Her eyelids fluttered and she yawned widely. Maybe if she just closed her eyes for a few moments...

Lucy started awake minutes later, at least it felt like minutes, but she had a feeling it had been _much_ longer. The cold water clung to her body and gooseflesh erupted on the skin that wasn't submerged. She shivered and quickly hopped out, wrapping a towel around herself and draining her tub.

She quickly dried off and changed into pajamas, diving under her covers and curling in a tight ball. The nap had managed to take the edge of her tiredness, but she was still exhausted and soon she was burrowing closer to the heat and drifting away. At least until she realized that it was far too hot under her covers, almost like someone had lit a fire.

Her eyes flew open and she stared at the fire dragon slayer passed out next to her.

"Natsu!" she shrieked. She shot out of bed and yanked the covers off, making Natsu stir and sit up sleepily. He rubbed at his eyes and yawned widely, his fangs flashing in the dim light drifting through the window.

"Wha's wrong?" he mumbled. Happy sat up next to him and Lucy crossed her arms under her breasts, scowling at them.

"Get out of my bed!" When Natsu didn't move she grabbed his arm – the one still in a cast – and began tugging until he finally got out of the bed, and then she started pushing him for the door. "Get out of my house!"

"But Lucy-"

"No buts! Get out and stay out!" She managed to get him to the door and on the other side of it, slamming it shut. She heard a grumble from Natsu but ignored him, turning back to the bed... only to see Happy sitting on it still. She sighed and yanked open the door. "You too."

Happy hopped up and flew from the apartment, right into Natsu's face, causing the dragon slayer to yelp in surprise. Lucy hurried to shut the door, but Natsu was faster and he held it open with one hand.

"Wait! I came to apologize!" That got Lucy to pause. She let go of the door and stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest again. The air outside was cold and her skin was still a bit damp from her bath.

"Oh really?"

Natsu rubbed the back of his neck and nodded. "I'm sorry I dragged you off the cliff with me. I shouldn't have thrown the statue like that."

Lucy was surprised. She'd always thought that Natsu never realized he was doing anything wrong when he destroyed cities, that it was justified because it was stopping a bad guy, but maybe she'd been wrong...

"Mira told me you were angry about that."

…or maybe he was just doing what Mira had told him to.

She sighed and leaned against the door frame, shifting slightly closer to Natsu in the process. He was like a furnace and she wanted to get in his heat circle.

"It's fine." The fact that Natsu had apologized was a feat in itself, expecting him to actually realize he was wrong would've been too much to expect from him. "We still managed to get some jewels." A cold burst of wind shot through the door and she shivered. "Right now I just want to sleep. We can talk more in the morning."

She didn't give him a chance to say more, just smiled and shut the door before quickly rushing back to her bed. A bit of Natsu's heat still lingered on the sheets and she curled up in the same spot, her nose twitching at the scent of smoke that drifted from the pillow under her head.

Her last thought as she drifted to sleep was of Natsu...


End file.
